Episode 20 Antiques Road Trip

It's the nation's favourite antiques experts with £200 each,

a classic car...

We're going round!

..and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

I want to spend lots of money!

The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction, but it is no mean feat.

Oh, no!

There'll be worthy winners...

-Yes!

-We've done it!

..and valiant losers.

You are kidding me!

So, will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?

-What am I doing?

-You got a deal.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

It is the fifth and final leg of our road trip,

with wily old foxes Philip and James.

And Phil is getting all nostalgic about what has been a rather

amiable journey.

I'm quite sad that this is all coming to an end now.

-So am I, Philip.

-We have had some fun, haven't we?

-We have.

What has been your highlight?

What has been my highlight?

Mm, this is awkward.

Um, I want to give that some thought.

Nothing springing to mind, then?

What would be the highlight?

Moving on then...

Worcester warrior Philip Serrell has not been adverse to

a bit of random purchasing on this trip.

I love the can.

-Do you want to sell this? Can I buy this off you?

-Yes, you can.

And it has been standing him in reasonable stead.

I'll take 21.

Sold.

James Braxton has also been taking a flexible approach to his buying.

Don't do this at home.

But it's all right.

I do yoga, so I've got a good balance.

Although it has had him on some shaky ground.

Oh!

This pally pair started the road trip with £200 each.

With some ups and downs,

James has worked hard to bring his total up to 348.74.

And Phil has appreciated admirably also, to 449.26.

So, with only about £100 separating them,

it really is all to play for along the final furlong.

-Well, James, this is our third country on this trip.

-I know.

We're in Wales!

Talk about doing the Union.

Sorry about the glasses, but those raindrops,

they can cause the old black guy, can't they?

# Raindrops keep falling... #

No?

Well, we are in the land of song, Phil,

so a little tune would be appropriate.

Very stony, isn't it?

-Well, it is Snowdonia, isn't it? I suppose.

-Snowdonia.

-This is it.

It has been really good fun, hasn't it?

-It has been great fun.

-Really good fun.

-Really good fun.

And, you know, all the way from Scotland, through England

and now here, in Wales.

And you have been my little ray of sunshine...

-I have.

-..all the way through(!)

You know...

Aw, isn't that sweet?

The trip has indeed taken the boys from Scotland,

down through the borders to Lancashire and Cheshire,

and the final leg sees us travel around North Wales,

ending up at the auction in Newport.

First stop, the town of Conwy, incorporating trips to Snowdon

and Holyhead before travelling across to Newport,

in the county of Shropshire.

Conwy's famous castle and walls guard this medieval market town.

Would this have been to keep us out or them in?

I think a bit of both, really.

I'll hazard a guess that it was to keep you two out.

Conwy is a medieval market town surrounded by a circuit

of walls over three quarters of a mile long

and guarded by 22 towers. Built for Edward I, it is

one of the finest surviving medieval fortifications in Britain.

It is also home to Collinge Antiques,

so it is time to procure some purchases.

-You've got a great shop here, mate.

-You know this fellow, do you?

I know this man and I am very, very envious of you.

-Oh, good!

-Good shop, Jim.

-Well, thank you.

Thanks for the very pleasant drive, I felt well driven.

I'm going to see if I can phone him up, tell him to whack the prices

up a bit. Hold on. Let's see if I can get him on the line.

-Just tell him I might be some time.

-All right. Do want a lift out?

Well, I haven't had any breakfast,

so I don't have sort of core strength for this one.

Still struggling with your exit, I see, James.

-Get in there and start buying.

-James, I hope you have an awful time.

Thank you.

See you, mate!

You can take your time.

-Hi, James, how are you? Nice to meet you.

-Very nice to meet you.

What a lovely treat to come into a shop like this.

I think this looks a good emulsifier of money, in here.

So I've got about 350 to spend.

Good, that's all right, that's a decent amount.

-I'm sure I could help you with that.

-Good.

I think James likes the look of this place.

-Show me around, you know your stock better than I do.

-Well, yes.

Something like... A bit of a story you want as well, bit of interest.

-Always, yeah.

-How about this? Come this way.

-History and story.

What about that?

Apparently made for a representation of King Lear,

-from a stage production.

-Right.

It is probably dated about '50s or '60s,

but I just thought a bit of fun.

You have got Richard Burton, so RB, could be. Who knows?

-Fabulous!

-I'm not saying it is, but you never know.

-A very famous Welshman.

-There you go.

-Any chance of Elizabeth Taylor being on this?

-Probably, I don't know.

You should be so lucky, James.

-How much is this, Nicky?

-To you?

-Yeah.

-£40, how's that?

-Sold.

A quick decision. James really likes this place. And the prices.

-Ideal to put aside the bed.

-Yeah. Your glass of water.

-Yeah, or wine.

Or wine.

-God, they are lovely, aren't they?

-Different, aren't they?

-They are lovely!

-Drawer. Probably French.

How much could they be, then?

-140.

-140.

Pair. That is for two, not one.

Definitely. Sold. Thank you.

God, this is easy work, isn't it? Keep going.

Marvellous.

He is rattling through this shop at a rate of knots.

But will he live to regret it?

Is that enough furniture?

Can anybody ever have enough furniture?

-No, not as far as I am concerned.

-Exactly.

And he is not done yet.

-What about a moose?

-Oh, look at that. Isn't he great?

-Yeah.

A moose loose in this hoose.

That is quite a pretty little picture, isn't it?

A proper little drawing. Signed. Watercolour, obviously.

-George Oyston.

-Yeah.

-That is very nice, nice clean little fellow, isn't it?

-Yeah. £40.

£40, done. Definitely going to have that.

Definitely will have that. God, easy shopping, isn't it?

-It is, isn't it?

-Easy shopping.

James really is going for it. Is there any stopping him in here?

-Another item, please. Make it expensive.

-What about a Worcester?

-A bit of Worcester.

-There you go. Nicely potted. Nice colour.

Only because we want to be beat Philip badly...

-JAMES LAUGHS

-we'll say, £40.

Surely not.

James, you will be all in if you are not careful.

It's interesting, because they have had difficulty getting

the glaze on it, haven't they? Sticking.

So it has sort of bled a bit. But it has got good casting, hasn't it?

-Very good casting. It's not marked as a second, is it?

-No.

They would mark it as a second, wouldn't they?

-Do you think?

-That is taking on Philip on his own turf, isn't it?

Good, definitely, I'll have that one. Lovely.

-I think it has got a chance, don't you?

-Thank you. Yep.

Nicky, I think you have been really kind. I think my work is done here.

-Is it? Brilliant.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Nice having you.

Thank you.

Well, watch out, Philip, Worcester to Worcester.

-Nicky, think you very much indeed.

-Pleasure.

Four lots in one shop, eh?

He's got the theatre prop throne, the bedside cabinets,

a signed watercolour and the Worcester figure,

all for £260.

-Check this.

-I hope you do all right with it, James.

Now I am sure I will.

A very unusual but bold start from James.

But time will tell if he spent wisely.

Thanks a lot.

Phil, meanwhile,

is on the road towards the village of Llanberis, at the foot

of Mount Snowdon, and seems to be revelling in rural North Wales.

Do you know, we are really, really lucky,

cos it is just such fantastic countryside.

Make no mistake, while he might be friendly with James,

he is still up for the competition.

He is going to be trying really hard to beat me.

And I am going to be trying really hard to beat him.

But I want to try to spend all my money. I don't want to wimp out.

Get in there, spend it.

Let's just hope the weather holds up for you, eh, Philip?

Just up there is a bit of sun,

just waiting just to creep its way through the clouds.

I might even get up to Snowdon and see it up there.

Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, with breathtaking

scenery that attracts around half a million tourists a year.

But you don't have to don your mountaineering gear to enjoy

the views. For the less energetic of us, there is

a railway that takes you most of the way to the 3,560 foot summit.

This extraordinary feat of Victorian engineering was

built in 1869. 150 men with picks and shovels

and dynamite built two viaducts, constructed several bridges

and laid almost eight kilometres of track up to the top of the mountain.

All in 14 months.

The train has carried around 12 million passengers up

the mountain since it was built.

Almost 120 years later, the railway remains a top tourist attraction.

And Phil is here to meet Vince to learn about its remarkable history.

Why would you want to go to the top of Snowdon anyway?

Well, my first answer would always be for the views.

I'm from England, right? Now, you'll have to forgive me here,

but it is a well-known fact that in Wales, it always rains.

I rest my case.

Today, I'll give that to you.

But nine times out of ten,

some nice clear skies, some sunshine and some marvellous views.

-They went there for the views?

-Absolutely.

-Definitely.

-Fair enough.

Hopefully, it might clear up when you get to the top, Phil.

You better get a ticket, though.

-Two tickets, please.

-Oh, thank you.

-We cut this a bit fine, aren't we?

-We are indeed. We better take it up.

All aboard!

During the Victorian era, tourism boomed and holidays and trips

became increasingly accessible for ordinary working people.

That's the guards.

In 1869, keen to jump on this bandwagon,

railway pioneer Richard Moon

suggested that a train should run to the top of the mountain.

The local landowner, George Ashton Smith,

was opposed to the idea as he believed it would spoil the scenery.

And for 20 years, he turned down every request.

But Moon was a persistent fellow.

And his powers of persuasion alongside the prospect of some

local competition eventually pushed the construction through.

When news came out that a rival rail company was planning to build

a line from Beddgelert

up to Snowdon, on the other side of the mountain,

it pretty much would have wiped Llanberis off the tourism map.

It's hard for me to understand how over 100 years ago,

they are focusing on tourism as a business, really, aren't they?

Well, they are.

The interesting thing, this was one of the first railways

that was built specifically for tourism.

In May, 1896, the railway opened for the first time.

-And that had to be spectacular.

-Absolutely fantastic.

-All go well?

Unfortunately, it didn't.

On the second train of that day, there was a derailment.

And what they feel is there was some subsidence in the track.

And on the way back down, a locomotive actually disengaged with

its carriage and actually toppled over the side of the mountain.

A couple of people panicked and actually jumped off the carriage.

One gentleman hit on the side and managed to fall back underneath

the carriage, and, unfortunately, it was a fatal injury.

So from that day...

They actually closed the railway for investigation

and it took a whole year till it reopened.

So it has been a real labour of love to get this thing up and running.

It has. Thankfully, that was the only major incident.

So, just for the record, you've been rock solid safe ever since.

Absolutely, yes.

Despite the inauspicious start, the railway has been ferrying

passengers safely up the mountain for nigh on 120 years.

One of the original locomotives still pushes a carriage up

the mountain. And I'm sure behind all that cloud, there is

some stunning scenery...somewhere.

You brought me up here for the view.

And then the weather...

Welcome to the top of Wales.

You look chilly, old chap.

You better get yourself warmed up in the visitors' centre.

So, Phil, do you fancy walk up to the summit?

No. I'm frozen!

The soup is good, though.

Mm!

This is just the best soup there is.

Traditional Welsh leek and potato soup.

Home-made soup, top of Snowdon,

in the warm. I'm not going out there.

Well, you finish your soup, then.

Make sure you don't miss your train back down. Ha!

Nice up here(!)

Back at the bottom of the mountain,

does Phil have his eyes set on a deal?

How much would one of those cost?

-About 1.2 million.

-1.2 million...

That's about 1.9999999 million more than I've got.

Um... What about a name plate or...?

What about something off one of these?

Yeah, I've got a few parts that've just come off another locomotive.

-We could take a look at those.

-Yeah, where are they?

-Just over here.

These are brass water gauge covers.

-I don't know what you'd ever use them for.

-Maybe candle holders.

-Yeah.

-Could be quite nice.

-£15 I will give you.

-15, done.

Go on, you're a gentleman.

Well, Phil, the views may not have been up to much,

but you got yourself a cheeky little purchase.

And you never know, it might turn a profit.

Well, that is a real good double whammy for me

cos I've had a great visit and I've bought something!

James has also been out buying. In fact, he can't seem to stop today.

He has now made his way to the seaside town of Colwyn Bay

to visit North Wales Antiques.

-Hello. James.

-Hi. Frank.

-Hello, nice to meet you, Frank.

Hello, I'm Tim.

-I come here armed. I want to try and spend up.

-Right.

And I've got a sum of monies under 100 quid.

-So, I wonder whether we could find something.

-Right.

Now, what have you taken in? What is nice and fresh to the market, Frank?

-Most of it is fresh. We turn it over a lot. As you'll see...

-Perfect.

..there are quite a few things that we have moved along.

-So, shall I have a wander round?

-Please do, yes.

-And I'll come and hook up with you.

-Right.

-And I'll chance my arm.

-We'll do the best we can.

James is very keen on splashing cash,

but with very little separating him and Phil in the competition,

he needs to spend wisely.

A good old pot, isn't it?

That's what you want to do,

you want to buy small furniture and big china.

That's always the way, isn't it?

I quite like that.

I'll do you that for 75.

Ideal for a collection, you know, if you're...

-Yeah.

-Of miniatures.

-Yeah.

Let's say, Hummel or something like that.

It is mahogany.

-Can I put two bits together, Frank?

-Right.

What else could I put with that?

Here comes the dealing side of him now, see? Here comes the deal.

This is the punishing part.

This is where he's twisting the knife.

Twisting the knife!

You make it seem so brutal, chaps.

James has picked a mirror to go with his display cabinet.

Now, is there a deal to be done?

That's two wall bits. I tell you what I quite like about this, Frank.

It has got some top quality hangers there.

Frank, I've got...

a total of £88.74.

Would that by that lot?

And then I am all in. Those two.

The notice board and the mirror.

-Yep?

-Do well.

-We have a deal. Thank you very much indeed, Frank.

That is very kind.

The thumbs up from Frank, I think it was the 74p that swung it.

Ha!

So, James has a notice board and a mirror, all for £88.74.

And that's his spending complete.

I'm wearing a smile. I'm totally spent up. All my money is gone.

North Wales has all of it.

Bold move, Brackers, bold move indeed.

Phil, who so far has only had the opportunity to spend £15 on

the water gauge covers from the steam train in Snowdon,

has returned to Colwyn Bay

to Shawna Peters' shop.

Hi, Shawna. I've seen your name over the door, so I know you are Shawna.

-I'm Philip, how are you?

-I'm fine, thank you.

I'm looking for something really quite specific.

-Yeah.

-I need to buy a profit.

That is the point of the game, Phil.

-I'll have a look round, I'll see what I can come up with.

-Mm-hm.

And he has already spotted something he likes the look of.

Shot silk, aren't they?

This one is about 1919, cos it has got a star on the bottom,

which they started putting on in 1916.

And it has got three dots.

So it is about 1919.

-Mm-hm.

-These used to be really quite sought after and fashionable.

Weren't we all, Philip, weren't we all.

These items are Worcester porcelain,

so no wonder Worcester local Phil is considering them.

-I think those are a real possibility. Can I put them on...

-Yeah.

-..on the counter?

-You can put them on the counter.

And let me have another look round.

What have we got here?

Oh, here we go. Sounds like... You hungry?

A squeeze-box?

Go on, Phil, give us a tune.

Do you know, I wonder if I could play one of these.

I can't say I know that one.

I think I'm going to put that down.

Shall we get back to business, then?

-Hold on a minute. Go on, Shawna, what can you do those for?

-120.

Shawna is giving it as good as she gets.

If you could do them for £100, I would have them.

That's £50 each.

No. It isn't. It's 60 or £70 for that one.

And it is 30 quid for that one, which is broken.

Not 110?

That is giving me a tenner on what I paid.

In that case, that's what I'll do.

-OK. That's what I'll do. If you are happy with that...

-Yes.

10, 20...

So, after a bit of toing and froing,

Phil walks away with the Worcester figures for £110.

-Thank you very much indeed. Wish me luck.

-I will.

-Cheers now.

-All the best.

It has been a busy first day, with James going for the risky tactic

of spending everything, Phil still has over £300 in his coffers though.

So will tomorrow be his day? Night-night.

The next morning, and the inclement conditions mean

the boys have the top up on their Austin-Healey.

-There is a lovely view, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

-Just the driving rain pounding into the hillside.

-Yes.

No windswept hair today, I'm afraid, fellas.

-I'm all in, mate.

-Done?

-Yeah, all done.

What, done, finished, spent, kaput, over?

-Down to the last 74 pence.

-You've spent every penny?

Every penny. And I forgot till I asked for a bit of money.

I thought I'd have just a little bit of cash.

-Well, you're all right, aren't you?

-Yeah, I'm all in.

I'm very envious that you've done the job.

I've done the job.

So you can just go and enjoy this wonderful Welsh weather, can't you?

Yesterday, James spent all his £348.73 on a theatre prop throne,

a pair of bedside cabinets, a signed watercolour picture,

a Worcester figure, and a notice board and mirror.

Our first stop of the day is the beautiful village of Penmaenmawr.

Phil has come to Perry Higgins Antiques,

but Perry is nowhere to be seen.

He is meeting Mick to see if anything here tempts him.

-Hello, Philip. Good to see you.

-When was I here last?

-Five or six years ago.

-I did well then, didn't I?

You robbed me nicely, yes.

Can I have a quick look round? And I will give you a shout in a wee while.

And he is wasting no time getting reacquainted with the place.

It's either out of a chemist or out of a really good store.

You would ask for, I don't know, 2oz of antimony.

A shopkeeper would go over, open the drawer, get it out, serve you.

These things have become hugely collectable and valuable.

I've got about £324 left, or something like that.

If I could buy those for £324, I would spend every penny on them.

And they are...

1,650 quid.

I'm not sure even the old Serrell charm could wangle

that price down enough. Back to the matter in hand...

This place is massive.

It wouldn't be a road trip for me if I didn't buy something big,

lumpy and awkward.

Big, lumpy and what?

Have you got any, I don't know, big lumps of stone?

It's full of stuff like that.

-Which way is that?

-I'll take you. It's this way.

This is heaven!

Look at all this!

What I love about it is, you've got a millstone

and someone sort of fabricated a fairly rustic frame, haven't they?

-Has that been here a long time?

-Not that long.

It's only been here about three years.

Not long at all, Mick, eh?

How much is that?

It could be about 120.

-Can I bear that in mind?

-Yes, certainly.

Back inside, out of the rain, it's a veritable treasure trove in here.

-You've got some good stuff, haven't you?

-Yes.

He's quite fun, isn't it?

And Phil is only just getting started.

These are Globe Wernick bookcases, aren't they?

Globe Wernick was the brand. They are library bookcases.

Why people love these is because you can take the top off...

And then you've got stacks. The top lifts up and slide back.

These would date to 1920s, 1910.

It's also 385 quid.

Could we do something on that, perhaps?

-SIGHING:

-Might be. Depends what else you are buying in this place.

Sounds like Phil could be looking for a bulk deal here.

He has a millstone as an option

and he might be up for a bit of horseplay.

There is your other horse.

-Oh, yes. So it is.

-Dobbin.

-Dobbin.

Dobbin.

Can we get it down, do you think, Mick?

Just have a look at it. Do you want me to give you a hand?

-This is heavier than you'd think.

-It is, isn't it?

You weigh a lot, Dobbin.

Careful, he is a thoroughbred, you know.

Put him down there.

What date would he be? He is Edwardian almost.

I think he could be earlier.

You think he's Victorian? You think he's 19th-century, not early 20th.

I think so. Somewhere between the two.

-What have you got these priced up at?

-165, is it?

-Blimey! 185?

-185.

Time to strike a deal, I think.

This is very cool. This is an annexe to your antique business, then?

-It certainly is, yes.

-This is where you come for lunch.

-Yes.

Mick, I'd like to have a deal with you.

All right.

I'd like to buy the millstone on the iron frame out the back.

I'd like to buy the brown Dobbin horse.

And I'd like to buy the Globe Wernick-style bookcase.

I'd like to put them all together and buy them as a parcel off you.

One price, take the three.

And I'm thinking like 250.

No, it's not enough, Philip.

He's got the look of a wounded man.

Come on, Philip, don't muck about.

£300.

£300. £300.

-£300.

-I want a bit more. A bit more.

£301. £305.

£312.

£310 and you'll have a deal.

That's the man! I had better pay you now, hadn't I?

We have a deal at £310 for the three items.

£160 for the bookcase and £75 each for the rocking horse and millstone.

Although Philip looks like he needs to work on his arithmetic a bit.

You have robbed me. Look. 10. There's 100 quid.

I've robbed you, haven't I?

I'm so sorry, mate. I didn't mean to do that. I'm really sorry.

The Philip School of Thieves. That's it.

Naughty boy, Phil. Lucky for Mick he was on the ball there.

James, meanwhile, is heading west to the port of Holyhead.

The largest town on Anglesey, Holyhead's history is

intricately linked to its position, jutting out into the Irish Sea.

The fast tidal currents in the major shipping route,

from the large ports of Liverpool and Dublin, has earned Holyhead

the reputation as one of the most dangerous stretches of coastline.

This led to Wales' first-ever lifeboat station being built

here in 1858.

The station is now the Holyhead Maritime Museum,

which tells the tales of the countless rescue attempts conducted

off the coast, including one of the worst peacetime maritime

disasters to occur in the UK.

The submarine HMS Thetis was undergoing sea

trials in preparation for war in 1939.

On the 1st of June,

Thetis left Birkenhead to undergo her final diving tests.

But only hours into the dive,

all 103 people on board were facing a catastrophic disaster.

James has come to meet volunteer Leslie Jones to hear more about it.

Initially, she just failed to surface.

They didn't know what had happened to her

until her stern appeared above the water.

Two escaped.

Then it became clear that the torpedo room had flooded.

With part of the submarine flooded and weighted down,

those on board decided to send some men to the surface.

First out was Royal Naval Captain Oram,

who escaped using an early underwater breathing mask.

An expert on submarines, Oram helped coordinate the rescue attempt.

Despite days of trying,

the rescuers failed to save the remaining 99 souls on board.

Thetis was eventually salvaged and brought to Holyhead,

with some of its artefacts now housed in the museum.

The T is an original T off the conning tower.

The inclinometer, which shows you the angle of descent, of dive.

I'm sure the poor, old captain was looking at that thinking,

"Oh, my God!" I've never seen one of those.

No, I suppose it is quite rare.

During the ensuing inquiry, it became clear that the tragedy was

caused by an inner torpedo pipe door being opened

when the outer door to the sea was also open.

And were lessons learned from the tragedy?

Yes.

Afterwards, they introduced what everybody knew as the Thetis clip -

a second-stage clip on the inner torpedo door.

You could just open the inner door, but just a fraction, to see

if there was water there.

They had a system with a lever that they could close it again.

It didn't just swing fully open.

That is still on submarines.

Leslie, thank you very much indeed for this afternoon.

Despite this tragedy, the legacy of the Thetis

has no doubt helped to save countless lives.

With James making his way back from Holyhead, Phil is heading

to his final shop, Denbighshire Antiques,

with the princely sum of £14.26 left to spend.

-Hi, Paul.

-Hiya.

-How are you?

-Are you OK?

-Fine, thanks.

-You've got some good stock here.

-Thank you.

Now I'm in a...in a...incomp...

Spit it out, Phil!

I'm in a peculiar state. I'm going to give you every shilling I've got.

-Right.

-All right?

-Are you ready for this?

-OK.

-Put your hand out.

There's ten pounds. There's 11. 12.

13, 14, £14.26. That, I'm afraid to say, it's all I've got.

-Yeah?

-Right. I'm definitely going to go away with something.

-OK.

All you've got to do is find something. Right, let's go outside.

-Right, we'll go to the bargain basement.

-Absolutely right.

I like bargain basements.

Paul certainly has some interesting stock here,

including what looks to be a very impressive collection of wildlife.

Huh!

I got all this lot from one house, but I'm talking three years ago.

I couldn't walk through the centre of there.

And they were all this high.

Right from here to the top.

-Why?

-He was a man who collected for 35 years. An old man.

He had it all in one garden.

He can't afford any of this lot.

But might you be able to swing something here with these old

prison doors.

-Dartmoor prison these.

-Dartmoor nick?

-Yeah.

Are they £14.26 worth?

You are miles away. But I think I'm going to do you a favour here.

-Really?

-Yeah, I think I'm going to let you go with one.

-Really? Could you do something on one of those?

-Yes.

I'm going to let you have one of those.

-Whoo-hoo!

-Because I want to see how they go.

-I'm so pleased!

I'm so, so pleased!

You go back inside and I'm going to have a look through these.

That's a great deal, especially if they do indeed hail from Dartmoor.

He said that I can have any one that I want.

What I really want is, you know...

Perhaps, "The Kray twins were here," or "The Richardsons were here,"

on the door. That's what you call provenance.

Prison provenance, isn't it?

Perhaps even Ronnie Barker in Porridge.

He might have been in there.

Fletcher?!

They really didn't mean anyone to get out.

You've got a spy hole here, look. You look through there.

You really wouldn't have got out of this in a rush, would you?

Oh.

Let's just... Oooh!

Careful, Phil.

I think I'm going to go for the red one. What a fantastic buy that is.

The prison door from Dartmoor,

Victorian, for £14.26.

I think it's time for me to check on Prisoner 47398, it's Braxton,

just to see if he's behaving himself.

Looks like nothing too suspicious.

With all the shopping done and everyone spent out,

let's have a look at the lots.

Phil has picked a book case, a pair of Worcester figures,

a millstone, the rocking horse,

and his wild card lot of the prison door and railway water gauges,

all at a total cost of £449.26.

Whilst James has gone for some bedside cabinets,

a notice board and mirror, a signed watercolour painting,

a Worcester figurine, and a theatre prop throne, all for £348.74.

But what do they make of each other's choices.

I think it's going to be a really interesting one

because we've both spent out.

James, I think, has bought some really good things.

The throne though, at £40...

How did that happen?

If that doesn't make, I don't know, £120-£180, well,

for James there is no justice. It looks a really, really good thing.

Phil has bought some good items and he's spent out.

He had £100 more than I did. But the googly is that prison door.

I thought something like that was worth about £100

and he appears to have bought it for absolutely nothing.

That might be his winner.

That little bit of Worcester that James bought.

What's he doing buying Worcester?

There is only one of us buys Worcester.

I don't go around buying things from Tunbridge. James, that's my area.

You leave it alone!

Quite right, too.

After starting out in Conwy

and travelling all around North Wales, this final

leg of our trip concludes at an auction in Newport, in Shropshire.

James, what have been your highs and lows of this road trip?

I mean, clearly other than us working together.

Which could fall into both categories.

No, I think definitely high, you know, working with you.

The car has been a real high.

It hasn't broken, has it?

It hasn't broken. And we've seen some fabulous things on our trip.

We have been to some lovely places.

I don't know that I've had a low.

-I haven't had a low.

-I haven't had a low.

I think we've had a jolly good time, actually.

We've had a good time.

Don't speak too soon, chaps. We still have the auction to come.

One last time.

I really will miss you boys trying to get in and out of that car.

THEY LAUGH

Welcome to Brettells Auctioneers in Newport.

Seasoned auctioneer David Brettell will be conducting affairs.

So what does he think of the items?

What an eclectic mix!

When they came in, I just couldn't believe it.

I thought, what are you doing, boys?

A prison door and some steam engine glasses together? What?

I can safely say this is the first prison door I've ever

sold in my entire auctioneering life.

Well, there is a first time for everything, eh, David?

Now, are we all sitting comfortably?

I think I've got a spring sticking where a spring shouldn't stick.

-Really?

-Yes.

Never mind. Let's begin!

First up, it's James' bedside cabinets.

OK, here we go.

£30 bid. 35. 40. Five. 50. Five.

60. Five. 70. £70. £70.

75. 80. Five. 90.

Five. 100.

Five. 110. 110. 110. Still cheap.

15. 20. 120 bid. 120.

120 where I'm pointing. Anybody else?

£120. Last chance. Last chance at 120...

783.

Not a great start there, James.

That's a £20 loss, and double that when you add on the commission.

£40 loss isn't a bad start, is it?

PHIL LAUGHS

Phil is on familiar ground with his first lot,

the Worcester porcelain figures.

£100 straight in. £100 bid.

50. 60.

70. £70 bid.

£70 bid. £70. 80.

90. 100. 10. 20.

-120 there.

-120.

-120. 120.

Anyone else?

That's enough. I think. 120, that's good.

120, hands up, will be sold.

£120.

Put it down, for goodness' sake.

So the result Phil was expecting, if not hoping for.

I think I said to the lady in the shop that one was worth 80 quid

-and the other was worth 40.

-Lot number 61...

You're spot on.

How will James fare, stepping into Phil's turf

with his Worcester porcelain?

Over 100 and I'm back. I'm nipping. Begin to nip.

Where are you starting me? 20.

25. 25 bid.

25. Anybody else? Have a go at 25.

-At 25. Anybody else want to go for this?

-Keep going.

-Keep going, keep going, keep going.

-25.

Dear, oh, dear. All gone.

James loses out on the battle of the Worcester

and Phil can keep his head held high when he gets home.

Will Phil's grindstone turn a profit?

-£40?

-10.

-£30?

10, 10, 10.

£20?

Thank you! £20 bid. At £20.

And five.

£30.

-35.

-Looks very determined.

-£45.

-You're lucky. You're going to be lucky.

£50 now. £50. 50.

Yep, she got for 50.

Nobody is really standing out here. But it's still all to play for.

Next it's James' oak theatre prop throne.

20.

Thank you. £20 bid. At £20. Throne chair.

At 25. £30. 35. £40.

45. £50. See?

It didn't hurt.

£50 bid. £50. In front of me now, £50.

£50. Last chance. Right in front of me. Sold.

All done at £50.

That's a disappointment. The Richard Burton rumour clearly didn't spread.

Limped home really.

How will Phil's horse fare?

£10 for the rocking horse.

Hours of fun. Thank you. £5.

It's a monstrous lot.

Eight. It's on an auction.

At £8. Bid at £8.

-I can't believe that.

-10. 12.

£12 it is. £12 the lady bid.

At £12. Thanks for your help anyway.

Sold away at 12. Good luck!

Poor Dobbin fell at the first hurdle.

Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

Back to James and his combined notice board and mirror lot.

Start at 10. 12. 15. 18. 20.

£20 bid. 22. Five. Eight. Anybody else?

-We've got £30.

-£30 bid.

£30. Will be sold. £30. Sold then at 30.

Not going very well for me.

Well, this is not going to plan.

Surely Philip's bookcase will get us back on track.

£50 start me off. £50 bid. 60.

70. 80.

90. 100.

10. 20.

30. 40.

50 bid.

60. 70. 80.

90. 200.

10. 20. 30.

40.

50. 60. You sure?

One more. 260. Will be sold. Anybody else?

Last chance for you. 260 on my right. Sold away at 260.

778.

That's more like it!

I don't believe that.

260. That's a good price.

James has some catching up to do here.

His early spending spree may come back to haunt him.

Will the signed watercolour get him up and running?

150. £100 start the bid?

It's all gone very quiet. 50 bid. 60 bid. 70 bid.

80 bid. £80 I have.

£90? £90 bid. 100 bid. 100.

10. 20. 120 bid. 120. Going to be sold.

-That's good.

-120. Anybody else?

£120. Last chance. 120.

That's better!

A solid profit to keep James' hopes alive.

I've come out of my corner, thrown the sponge away...

I'm really pleased for you(!)

It all comes down to Phil's combined lot of the prison door

and the steam train water gauges.

If he can turn any sort of profit on these, he'll win the day.

There we are. Interest in this.

"Interest."

100? How much? 50?

30. Five. 40.

Five. 50. 60.

-70.

-Well done.

£70 with me. On a commission with £70 bid. 80.

80 in the room.

100. 10. 20.

30. 130 left of me.

-40.

-I'm staggered.

-50.

-I'm staggered.

-160. 170.

This is looking very good, Phil. Very good indeed.

And 20. 220 there. 220. 220 bid.

-MUFFLED SPEECH

-It's good.

Last chance. 220. Anybody else?

Hands up. Sold away. Quickly now.

220. Sold.

-Blimey O'Reilly, Philip! That's good. That's a lot.

-It's luck.

Whether it was luck or good judgment, the gamble paid off.

And then some. That lot was the game changer.

-A handshake.

-Well done, mate.

-Well done, matey.

James began today's leg with £348.74.

And after paying auction costs,

lost £65.84, leaving him with an overall total of £282.90.

Phil had £449.26. After paying his auction costs, he made a profit

of £98.58, and is left with £542.84,

and wins this trip by over £250.

-Congratulations.

-Look at this.

-Sly old fox. Sly old fox.

-What are we going to do now, then?

-How are we going to fill time?

I think we probably just ought to go and have some lunch.

Lunch in Ludlow. I hear there are some fine establishments.

There are some very good places there.

Sounds smashing. Can I come?

This trip has been a real eye opener.

Is there anybody out there?

But hats off to Philip on his victory.

That's a bit racy, isn't it?

His keen eye for the unconventional won the day.

Oh, I love that!

If only James could have stretched himself that little bit more...

It's all right. I do yoga.

..it could have been oh, so different.

Oops.

It doesn't get any easier that.